


When The Crown Falls

by Stardust_Steel



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst, Canon Rewrite, DBsuper parallel, Dbz parallel, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Epic, Inspired by The Hunger Games, M/M, Prompt: Tournament, Slow Burn, Tragedy, kakavegeweek2021, teamfic, tumblr: kakavegeweek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-22 08:09:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30035670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardust_Steel/pseuds/Stardust_Steel
Summary: The two Saiyans locked eyes. That one moment was enough to convey all the things they hadn’t said and didn’t want to say. All their sorrow, their arguments, their ‘could have beens.’All boiled down to this one moment, where both Goku and Vegeta understood that only one between the two would make it out alive tonight.--or, a Dragon ball Z and Super rewrite, with heavier Goku/Vegeta focus and elements inspired from the Hunger Games trilogy.Prompt: Tournament
Relationships: Son Goku/Vegeta (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 36
Kudos: 32
Collections: Kakavege week #10





	When The Crown Falls

**Author's Note:**

> This story borrows elements from the Hunger Games trilogy, however I would like it to be known that this is very much a Dragonball and KakaVege fic that is going to parallel the whole of DBZ and Super ^_^ This is going to be long one, and probably my goodbye piece.  
> Big thanks to Engineerd for helping me to validate this idea and shell it out, for getting so hyped about the prologue that it restored my confidence as an idea worth writing out. You're the best, ily <3

**Link to playlist:[When the Crown Falls](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3AmacFGFMTFDwOKMPAHkT5?si=2eph5nekQE2rgh2FC0mxAA)**

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

A scuttle across the clearing. Familiar ki bursting upon his senses, warm and inviting as ever. 

Vegeta looked up, already knowing whose gaze he would meet.

Goku stood before him, wild bangs and spiky hair buffeted by the wind. Torn scraps of gi revealed a lightly bleeding arm, but otherwise he was unharmed. Impressive, considering how many days they’d been in this hellhole.

But then, this was Goku, after all. Vegeta would have been downright _disappointed_ by anything less.

The two Saiyans locked eyes. That one moment was enough to convey all the things they hadn’t said and didn’t want to say. All their sorrow, their arguments, their ‘could have beens.’

All boiled down to this one moment, where both understood that only one between the two would make it out alive tonight.

Goku smiled, that same sunlit smile Vegeta had fallen hard and fast for the first time they’d met, but it didn’t reach his teal eyes. “Hey, Vegeta.”

“Kakarot.” Vegeta acknowledged with a nod. His tail flicked freely, even now relaxed in Goku’s presence. “So, down to just the two of us, huh.”

“Seems so.”

* * *

**Goku, tribute**

Goku checked on the status of the porridge cooking on the stove, making sure nothing spilled over. Rice was hard to come by nowadays - Goku had fought hard to win them in the market. It seemed to be cooking nicely.

He hoped it would cheer Gohan up a little. Neither of them had slept well the previous night, but it was nothing less than expected when they barely had enough to eat most times. It was good that Goku was fairly adept at hunting.

The little TV on the countertop was playing a rerun of the Hunger Games from 10 years ago. It washed over as background noise for Goku as he went about preparing the fish he’d caught.

 _“Your first tribute is … Raditz. Raditz of Planet Vegeta, please step forward.”_ A tall, muscular figure stepped onto the stage, his long spiky hair swaying behind him. Goku couldn’t help but notice that tightly wrapped around his waist was a fuzzy brown tail, much like Goku’s own.

_“And the second tribute... is Tarble,” the Angel said, glancing up from the second piece of paper in his hand. “Tarble of Planet Vegeta, please set forward.”_

_“NO! Not him!”_

A ruckus on screen, where the smallest children were. Goku watched as a small kid with spiky hair shaped like a flame broke away from the crowd and jumped onto the stage. His landing was slightly off balance, but when he straightened up, his gaze was fierce. 

_“Me!” the small kid on screen declared. “I volunteer as tribute, in place of Tarble!”_

_“Oh.” The Angel Enforcer paused, looking mildly impressed. “This is… highly unusual. Are you related to tribute 2 in some way?”_

_Burning eyes framed by heavy bangs met silver ones defiantly. “He’s my brother,” the tiny kid said, “second in line to the Saiyan throne.”_

_“Oh, how exciting. I don’t believe we’ve had a volunteer from this Universe in years. What is your name then?”_

_A proud little head lifted. “Prince Vegeta, of Planet Vegeta!”_

_“Vegeta of Planet Vegeta,” the Angel Enforcer repeated, dropping the title. “Very well, then. Everyone, please applaud for your tributes, Raditz and Vegeta!”_

“Good morning, Daddy.”

Goku quickly lowered the volume on the TV, looking around to meet tiny Gohan’s sleepy gaze. He’d been so distracted he hadn’t sensed Gohan’s ki approaching. “Ah, Gohan, you shouldn’t be up yet.”

The little boy sniffed, his tail waving behind him. “I had a nightmare.” His nose scrunched up a little. Goku followed his gaze to the screen, where the tiny figure of Vegeta and the much taller frame of Raditz appeared to be creating some sort of havoc onstage. “Daddy, what are you watching?”

Goku hesitated. Gohan was already four now. It was probably time to explain to him about the Hunger games and how the Tribute Drawing day worked. Better than him finding out from others.

“The Hunger games... they’re kind of like a fighting tournament, Gohan.”

“Like the ones you and Krillin do in the market?” Gohan's bright eyes regarded him curiously.

If only. “Sort of, but more… violent.” Goku paused, trying to think of how to explain in a way that would make sense to a child’s mind without utterly scaring Gohan. “You know how our universe has 12 planets that surround the Capital of Existence?”

“Yeah, daddy, we learnt about it in school,” Gohan answered.

“Okay, well,” Goku tried his best to lift his tone, “every 10 years, two tributes are chosen from each of the 12 planets to go fight in the Hunger Games tournament at the capital. They’re thrown into this _biiiig_ arena. The Games end when there’s only one person left, who is crowned as Victor.”

Gohan was quiet for a moment. Goku waited, knowing what was coming. Young though the boy was, he had always been very quick to catch on, much like his mother. 

As expected, Gohan frowned. "But Daddy...only one person...” Gohan’s tail twitched. "That means… to win, you have to kill the other tributes, right?”

Goku hesitated, wondering if there had been a better way to phrase this, then gave up and nodded his head. “You’re right, Gohan.”

“That’s scary, Dad...” Gohan’s eyes were round. “If I was tribute, I don’t wanna die, but I don’t want to win either...”

Goku hurriedly bent down to ruffle Gohan’s bedraggled hair. His late wife had been much better at comforting their son than he was, but it didn’t stop him from trying. “Don’t worry, Gohan-There’s nothing to be scared of! You won’t ever become a tribute, I’ll never let it come to that.”

“Daddy…” Gohan’s tiny fingers held fast onto Goku’s hands as he mumbled. “Why would people want to kill anyone? The Games are horrible…”

“I guess because… if they win, they get a wish on the super dragon balls for _anything they want_!” Goku emphasised the last bit. “Isn’t that exciting?”

“Anything they want?” Gohan repeated. 

“Yeah!” 

“...so, if we wanted to wish mom back, we could?”

Goku winced. His heart ached at the thought of his late wife: Chichi’s long, elegant locks; her beautiful black eyes; her sharp mind, that Gohan had inherited. He tried to cover it with a smile. “Yeah. Even things like bringing Mom back.”

“That would be so nice, Daddy.” Gohan smiled, something in his eyes that compelled Goku to draw the boy into an embrace.

Gohan clung to him, his little tail wrapping around Goku’s forearm. He was small enough that even when crouching, Goku could see over his little head to the TV, which continued to show the tiny figure of Vegeta and the much taller frame of Raditz being escorted off the stage.

Goku felt a little ill. He didn’t think the smaller tribute onscreen had been much older than Gohan’s age now. As Goku watched the screen, Vegeta's little head turned to meet the camera. Goku felt a chill up his spine as for a moment, it seemed like that burning gaze was directly boring into his own.

***

Barely a week later, on tribute Drawing day for the 64th Hunger Games, Goku stood frozen as the Angel Enforcer named Gohan as the first tribute for Earth.

 _No._ **_No._ **

Every fiber of Goku’s being twisted at the wrongness of Gohan's name coming out of the Angel’s mouth.

_He’s only four years old!_

It was true that they had removed the age restrictions after the last Hunger Games. The dwindling population of Earth had made it necessary. 

Everyone had made a big deal of it back then, but somehow, Goku hadn’t ever taken into account the enormity of the decision until it touched his own little family.

 _Gohan was only four year old._

Gohan, smart, sensitive and small Gohan, wouldn't survive a day in the arena.

Goku remembered the boy with the burning eyes, the one who’d volunteered for his brother. He made a snap decision; hesitation not even the space of a breath. 

“I volunteer!” Goku’s voice rang, loud and clear. No going back. “I volunteer as tribute, in place of Gohan!”

Goku fought off the hands that reached out to steer him to the stage where the Angel Enforcer was. He could walk on his own. Mechanically, he took his place next to the first tribute, Piccolo, whose only acknowledgement was a nod of the head.

“Dad, no!” Gohan was screaming, fighting against the arms that held him back. Goku caught a glimpse of Krillin, mouth pressed into a thin, grim line as he firmly tugged Gohan back into the crowd, away from the Enforcer’s line of sight. Something tight in Goku’s chest relaxed - at least he knew Gohan would be taken care of in his absence.

And just like that, Goku’s life was resigned.

* * *

**Enter, Vegeta**

On the other side of the universe, another Angel Enforcer- the same one from ten years prior- dipped his hand into the glass bowl. “And your first tribute is...Vegeta, of Planet Kold!”

Vegeta willed his expression to remain still, even as shock slammed in, made his heartbeat race.

 _No. Not_ **_again._ **

Somewhere onstage, a voice Vegeta was hatefully familiar with began to cackle. 

A path cleared for him. Murmurs started from the crowd around, growing louder and louder as Vegeta stepped towards the podium. 

_Isn’t he that 7 year old brat? The one who won the Games 10 years ago?_

_Didn’t he backstab his fellow tribute? He turned to that Oozaru monster thing and killed everyone, right?_

_Good, I’ve wanted him dead for a while now… always smart mouthing everyone, thinking he’s so damn good…_

_You’re done for, monkey!_

Used to being a pariah, Vegeta ignored it all. They’d all die eventually, either in some senseless meaningless battlefield, or by his own hands. He would make sure of it.

The Angel raised his eyebrows as his gaze landed upon Vegeta’s stony face . “Oho, I recognize you!” The Angel gave a silvery, tinkering laugh that set Vegeta’s teeth on edge. 

Instead of giving voice to the brewing storm of his outrage, Vegeta coolly inclined his head. “Well met again, Whis.”

“Indeed! This is unprecedented- We’ve never had a former tribute who became Victor get called to the arena a second time!”

 _Yes, because Victors were supposed to be_ **_safe._ **

_I’ve been through this hell once. I survived. I_ **_won._ ** _Why do I have to do it again?_

“I have always been out of the ordinary,” Vegeta drawled. 

He remembered this game well, and every moment counted from when the cameras began to roll.

“That is true.” The Angel chuckled. “You were much smaller the last time, about yay height?” A pale blue gestured to indicate the size Vegeta had been back then.

Vegeta was in the early years of Saiyan adulthood now, so he was much stronger than the tiny thing he’d been when he’d made his first kill in the Games. 

Even so, somewhere in the depths of his mind, Vegeta could still hear that child screaming.

“Planet Kold, please applaud for your tributes for the 64th Hunger Games, Vegeta and Zarbon!”

Instead of a standing ovation, the crowd began to jeer and throw curse signs at the two tributes. Relief was palpable in the air as everyone save the two tributes realised they had been fortunate enough to miss the drawing this time around. 

Vegeta’s lips curled as he watched Zarbon wave and wink at the audience and the cameras, already trying to gain favour.

Vegeta didn’t even bother - he had a big reputation in this corner of the universe, and none of it was pleasant.

“Not saying any goodbyes?” Zarbon muttered out of the corner of his mouth, his smile wide but his jaw tight.

“They don’t deserve my words,” Vegeta scoffed.

“Ooooh, you may come to regret that,” Zarbon drawled. “You can’t be lucky twice in the Games, Vegeta.”

“Oooooh,” Vegeta mimicked Zarbone’s stupid saccharine tone right back, “good, because luck _wasn’t how I won the first time_.”

**_You cannot know the torment I won with._ **

Vegeta’s tail twitched a little, before coiling tighter around his waist. His sharp Saiyan ears could pick up on the crowd already making bets on who, if any of the two tributes, would live, but Vegeta didn’t give a damn. Let them make their bets, and lose it all.

His gaze rose upwards, finding that particular empty space in the Kold’s sky where he thought Planet Vegeta used to be.

Back then at seven years old, that planet was all that mattered.

_“I wish Tarble - no, I wish that no other saiyan from Planet Vegeta would ever get selected for the Hunger Games again!”_

Back then at seven years old, as Victor of the bloodiest Hunger games their universe had seen, Vegeta’s wish had been--

Had completely--

Backfired.

But it had also _completely_ gotten rid of anything and everything the Kolds or the Capital could use against him.

And now…

 _I will not lose,_ Vegeta vowed to himself, and to nothing else.

**Author's Note:**

> All characters will get a chance to shine. Chapter count is an estimate, depending whether I want to leave loose ends. Let’s see :3 Either way, I hope you’ll enjoy the ride 🧡💙🙂 expect canon violence, if you can watch Z fights this should be okay, but I am putting it here in case.


End file.
